Child safety is always at the forefront of both the minds of parents and child care providers. When it comes to sleep safety, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) developed requirements to protect children when they’re at their most vulnerable. In 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics also updated their crib and mattress recommendations. These guidelines still hold today and all child care facilities, and caregivers should abide by them.

WHAT MAKES A CRIB SAFE?

The construction, hardware, placement, and accessories of a crib all contribute to child safety. Standards to watch for include:

Bar Space: Sidebars should be spaced no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. That’s about the width of a pop can. A wider space gives enough room for a child’s head to slide through the bars and potentially get injured.

Top Rail Height: The distance between the top of the crib rail and the mattress must be at least 26 inches. This should be the distance even when the crib mattress is at the highest position. As children get taller, caregivers should lower the mattress so the child cannot climb or fall out of the crib.

Solid Head and Footboards: Solid headboard and footboards prevent a child’s body and clothing from getting caught in cutouts. Crib models that have bars at the head and foot of the crib should still maintain the 2 3/8-inch distance necessary on sidebars.

Remove Corner Posts: Corner posts present a strangulation hazard because clothing can get caught on them.

The Mattress: A safe crib mattress should be firm and should not sag under the weight of a child. The mattress should also fit snugly against the crib walls with no space between the two.

Even a crib that meets all the standards can become dangerous if not properly maintained. Child care providers should regularly check cribs for broken and missing pieces. Parents deciding on a facility should ask how often child care providers inspect the cribs.

Once in a while, an old crib that doesn’t meet the new standards may still be in use, including drop-side cribs. Today, drop-side cribs cannot be manufactured, sold, or even donated because of the danger they pose. These cribs were designed to give caregivers easy access to the baby with a side (or two) that could be lowered. However, a lowered side created a gap between the mattress and crib rail where children could get caught. The moving hardware necessary for these cribs also tended to break and warped, which led to preventable injuries.

MORE THAN A CRIB MAKES SLEEPING SAFE

Child safety requires more than the right hardware. The location and contents of the crib can also make a difference. For example:

Caregivers should not place cribs near windows. Drafts can make the baby uncomfortable while cords and strings pose a strangulation hazard.

Bumpers aren’t necessary. Bumpers were designed to prevent children from hurting themselves by running into the side of the crib. However, they pose more danger than they prevent as they can be a potential suffocation and strangulation hazard.

Stuffed animals and extra blankets may look cute but they aren’t necessary and can be a suffocation hazard. They also make a good step stool for older children, putting them at risk of falling out of the crib.

COMMITMENT TO SAFETY

Parents can and should discuss their safety concerns with any potential child care provider. A child care provider that’s up-to-date on the latest standards will be more than happy address any and all safety concerns.

As a Paths to QUALITY™ coach, I work with dozens of providers, helping them to create quality environments for children. With each provider I help to advance a level, I feel a sense of pride in the provider’s accomplishments.

Sometimes, though, a very special provider rises to the top. These special people go above and beyond to embody success in serving children. One of these providers is Nakisha Gaddie, a certified ministry provider at Bright Horizons Child Care.

STARTING THE JOURNEY WITH PATHS TO QUALITY™

Although child care ministries are not required to be licensed in the state of Indiana, we encourage them to complete the Voluntary Certification Program (VCP), a prerequisite for the Paths to QUALITY™ quality rating improvement system. The VCP process generally takes providers 8-14 months to complete – and Kisha completed it in less than three months! Her diligence and determination to attain all of the requirements for VCP was astonishing. I hadn’t, and still haven’t, had anyone complete this process so quickly. She immediately started the Paths to QUALITY™ process and is looking to fast-track to Level 3 within the month.

TAKING THE TIME TO DEVELOP HERSELF

Becoming the best possible version of yourself as a child care provider is just as important as checking all the boxes to create a great program. Kisha embodies this idea. She is on her way to completing her Director’s Credential at Ivy Tech Community College. The T.E.A.C.H. program also recently approved her scholarship to complete her B.A. in Early Childhood Education.

REPRESENTING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AS A LEADER

Kohl’s recently saw the leadership potential in Kisha and demonstrated their confidence by recognizing her with their Kohl’s Cares grant. She has proven herself so well to the grantees that they are now utilizing her talents and skills to advocate for early childhood education.

Kohl’s also recently asked her to speak on behalf of motherhood and caring for children at a Community Baby Shower event, presented in partnership with Kohl’s Cares and the Riley Children’s Foundation. Not only did she successfully navigate outside of her comfort zone to be a speaker, but she also jumped into action with her natural gifts of caring for children during the event. While waiting to give her speech, Kisha heard some chaos in the area where others were caring for children. She couldn’t help but go where she was needed and stepped in to help with the children. View this great video showing all the good that happened at the Kohl’s Cares Baby Shower.

I am so honored to walk alongside Kisha as her coach. I have full confidence that she will, and already has, impacted the lives of so many children. Congratulations, Kisha!

Looking for a way to learn and grow with your kids, while also promoting healthy eating? Get on your aprons, and get ready to whip up something delicious with your children or those in your care. Cooking with children can promote lifetime skills such as:

Language – Conversations with children while cooking will increase their language development and ability to follow instructions. Creating simple recipe cards with instructions is also a useful tool. Obtain children’s books from the library that pertain to the type of foods they will be eating.

Art – Have children draw pictures of the foods they ate. Ask them to create a picture by painting with yogurt, or glue cereal to a piece of paper.

GO ON A FOOD ADVENTURE

Cooking with children also encourages them to explore new foods and how food gets to our tables. Discuss where food comes from, plant a garden, or take a field trip to the grocery store or a farm. This will give them a better understanding of what they are eating.

It would also be a good idea to shop around for child size utensils, cups, bowls and pitchers. This will make it easier for the child to prepare and serve themselves. We are promoting self-help skills, and, if the child has a difficult time succeeding, it may prompt them to quit out of frustration.

TRY OUT A NEW AND FUN RECIPE

Below are three simple recipes to try with children.

Fruit and Yogurt Muffin

Ingredients:
1 Whole Grain English Muff
¼ cup of Yogurt- any flavor
¼ cup of fruit- bananas and berries work well

Directions:
Adult: Portion out yogurt and fruit for each child separately.
Adult: Toast English Muffin.
Child: Spread yogurt over English muffin using a spoon.
Child: Add fruit to top.

Pizza Rollups

Directions:
Adult: Unroll crescent roll dough, separate into 8 triangles.
Child: Place 8 pepperoni pieces on each.
Child: Place a piece of cheese on the short side of the triangle.
Child: Roll up dough starting on the short side and pinch seams to seal.
Adult: Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Cook at 375 for 10-12 minutes

Serve with ¼ cup of warm pizza sauce
Makes a 8 roll ups.

Celery Snails

Ingredients:
1 bunch of celery – washed and cut in halves
Apples – cut into slices small enough to fit into celery
Peanut or Almond Butter

You’ve done everything right to prepare for flu season this year in your child care program. Your staff all got their flu shots. All of your children’s vaccination records are up-to-date. You’ve been sanitizing like crazy. Yet – bam! – the flu is here! What do you do next?

BE AWARE OF THE SYMPTOMS

Flu is a tough bug to figure out sometimes. Many symptoms – like coughing, stuffy nose, and sore throat – can mimic the common cold. Other symptoms – like a fever – sometimes, but not always, present themselves.

Emergency warning signs also appear differently in children than they do in adults. If you notice any of the following, get medical help right away1:

Fast breathing or trouble breathing

Bluish skin color

Not drinking enough fluids

Not waking up or not interacting

Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Fever with a rash

Infants who are unable to eat, have no tears when crying, or have significantly fewer wet diapers than normal

And, remember – you should be aware of symptoms in adults that come in contact with the children as well. Family members, staff, and other visitors are also likely to spread the virus.

WHEN SHOULD I SEND A CHILD HOME?

We’re all used to sniffles and sneezes and snotty noses. However, if a child has the symptoms of flu (ex. fever) AND these respiratory symptoms during flu season, you should exclude him or her from care2. Because the flu is so easily transmitted through little coughs and sneezes, this is one of the most common ways it spreads.

Sometimes, a little guy or girl is just too puny to do what everyone else in the class is doing. If he or she requires so much additional care from staff that the teacher isn’t able to attend to others, it’s time to consider a call home to Mom or Dad.

HOW SHOULD I MAKE FAMILIES AWARE WHEN SOMEONE IN MY PROGRAM HAS THE FLU?

Your first step is always to make the child’s parent or guardian aware when you suspect that he or she has the flu.

If a doctor or nurse practitioner diagnoses two or more children or staff members with the influenza virus, Licensing3 requires directors to immediately notify all family members and staff that they have been exposed. To do this, you can post on the door or another conspicuous place something like, “Cases of Influenza have been diagnosed in someone who has been in this building.” Or, you may give a personal note to each parent or staff member.

Have information pamphlets available on hand should family members or staff have additional questions. See the American Academy of Pediatrics website for suggestions.

WHAT ARE MY OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN CHILDREN OR STAFF ARE DIAGNOSED WITH THE FLU?

Directors’ jobs aren’t done when families and staff are notified. They also need to ensure that they are meeting all the licensing requirements3 to report the incidents of flu as necessary. Keep in mind that you must complete AT LEAST one of the following tasks. Depending on the situation, it may be beneficial for you to reach out to more than one resource for guidance.

Consult your local health department.

Call your licensing consultant.

It essentially all boils down to this sobering fact; the health and safety of little people are in your hands. Be aware, follow through, and do what’s in the best interest of the children in your care.

Fill in the blank: “I am a professional ________________________.” Say that five times to yourself. Then, sit back and think, “What have I done to maintain that I know what I am doing in my job, and that I do it well?” That, my friends, is the beginning of professional development.

PUT THE “PROFESSIONAL” IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

When I jumped into the education world, I did not have the confidence that I was a professional. I was, however, surrounded by great people that named me as a professional. I started as a first grade teacher, and my goal was to keep my head above water. Who had time to be professionally developed? I was learning the art of helping a 6-year-old with a bloody nose while the phone is ringing from the front office, in the middle of learning fractions with shaving cream. Oh yes, and did I mention the fire alarm went off? Perfect. I was not a professional anything at that point. Or was I?

If you would have asked me about professional development, I would have laughed. I do not have the time or money to go away to a conference and listen to someone tell me how to become a better teacher. Here’s the thing. I was developing as a professional each day. Every time I asked a question, took in the answer, and then made the best judgement of application into my classroom for the needs of my students, I was becoming better at what I did.

Go back to the beginning of this and fill in the blank: “I am a professional ________________________.” Sit down and think, “What have I done to maintain that I know what I am doing in my job, and that I do it well?” Does it sound a little different than the first time? I hope so.

APPLY NEW KNOWLEDGE TO WHAT YOU DO EVERYDAY

I have been blessed to be surrounded by amazing people. I am not speaking about only educators. There were days that my biggest hero was Tom, our building custodian. You can only handle so many spills, overflowing sinks, and sick kids before waving the white flag and asking for help.

As a professional, you learn how to deal with the many situations presented to you, some only learning once that experience knocks on your door. After I got over the hump of ‘knowing what I was supposed to be doing’, I then had more time to seek out items that I was interested in and felt would benefit my students. I attended workshops and conferences with my team, discussed what we learned that was new, and put that plan into action. We would then revisit to see what was working and what presented chaos and confusion. This was professional development – not as hard as I thought it would be. It was work, but it was work that would help me become better.

Go back to the beginning of this and fill in the blank: “I am a professional ________________________.” Sit down and think,”What have I done to maintain that I know what I am doing in my job, and that I do it well?” Now we can add,”Have I learned something new and applied it?” Growing as a professional, now aren’t we?

BE OPEN TO FEEDBACK AND REFLECT TO IMPROVE

As I continued to grow comfortable in my role, I began to feel more confident as a professional. The more workshops and conferences I attended, my knowledge base was growing. I was becoming a better teacher. During my 4th year of teaching, teacher evaluations (completed by my Vice Principal) came, and he challenged me with a new scenario. He said, “Invite me in your room during a time that you find as the hardest part of your day.” Hmm, did I really want my principal to see me failing? What was he thinking? After we discussed more, I began to warm up to the idea. How will I get better in my areas of weakness if I never allow anyone to see it? After agreeing on the idea, I was still quite nervous about the idea. My VP was going to tell me all of the things I’m doing wrong! Fabulous.

Believe it or not, that was the best thing that I have ever done. Of course, he knew I was nervous during post-observation conversation, so he did a great job of talking me off the ledge. He started out with, “Well if you thought that was failure, failure isn’t so bad!” It was great to have feedback with areas that I struggled with. He gave suggestions, compared it back to what I was doing well, and then scheduled another observation (not required) the next month to monitor progress. Wait a minute! I was gathering feedback from another professional to become a better professional, to be more successful.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Drum roll please…at that point. I was a professional. And, I finally:

Knew what I was supposed to be doing

Was doing it well

Learned new ideas

Applied those with feedback from colleagues, putting myself in a rather uncomfortable situation to be observed where I wasn’t the best, and,

After discussion and feedback, reflected to see how I can make changes and to keep moving forward

I am a professional adult educator who believes ongoing professional development is the key to being successful. So, start your professional development journey and reflect…

What is your profession and how do you make sure you do it well?

TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP: ATTEND ONE OF OUR TRAININGS

We offer dozens of face-to-face classes each quarter and recently released our Winter 2018 Training Brochure. See the Training Calendar for a date that works for you or to register online. You can also find online self-paced classes or in live webinars led by our instructors on Training Central.

The coaching experience is an amazing opportunity that all providers should take advantage of. Who doesn’t like an extra set of eyes or hands around in the world of child care? Paths To QUALITY™ coaches like myself bring a unique experience to each provider by promoting positive, supportive relationships. We can encourage you to achieve your goals and go beyond what you might not normally achieve on your own.

Here are a few ways you will benefit from working with one of our coaches:

COLLABORATION

Collaborating with a coach allows you to work alongside a professional in the early childhood field with a wealth of knowledge and resources. This can takes away some of stress of advancing in the Paths To QUALITY™ level system. You’re not alone!

ACCOUNTABILITY

Coaches are a great support to you in your business and provide accountability to you as you set goals for yourself and work at achieving them. We all know it is easier to reach our goals with an accountability partner! Coaches are there to help you every step of the way with advancing you through Paths To QUALITY™. We assist you with licensing questions or concerns and connect you to community resources in the early childhood field. We will schedule individual visits with you and work at a pace that you are comfortable with. All the while, we can strengthen you as a business owner to incorporate best practices into your program.

SUPPORT

Coaches offer lots of support to their providers. Throughout our time together, we call and check in on your program, offer assistance where you need it, and build a relationship beyond a checklist. We are always ready to offer a set of hands to help or a listening ear when you need it most. We want to see your program and educators thrive!

MOTIVATION

We love to motivate you to take material you know and put it into practice. Sometimes you may attend training, webinars, or conferences with fantastic ideas but are not quite sure how to implement them into your programs. Coaches can offer to model those great ideas to your staff and assist you in shaping them to fit into your program. We want to see your dreams come to life.

We never stop worrying about our kids, and we work hard to keep them from harm. Severe weather and emergency drills are unexpected and unstoppable things that can all be very scary for young children. Children become afraid when things happen that are out of their control, when they don’t understand, and when something unexpected occurs. By preparing children for these events, we can help ease their fears.

KEEP CALM

Be careful that you are not fueling a child’s fears. If you panic, they will panic too. It is important for you to remain calm during unexpected situations, because your children will be looking to you for guidance. The best way to remain as calm as possible is to prepare and practice.

PRACTICE AND PREPARE

We do fire drills so we know where to go if there is a fire. We practice tornado drills so we know where to go to keep us safe. Have practice drills in case the power goes out. Where can your child find a flash light? This practice helps to prepare not just the children, but us adults as well. Having a plan, being informed, and knowing what to expect is extremely beneficial when seconds count.

Prepare children as to what they should expect using language they understand. Talk about what is happening and why it happens. This is a great way to help ease anxiety and fears about the unexpected because it is no longer a mysterious thing.

“The fire alarm will flash a very bright light and make a very loud noise; it might hurt your ears.”

“The alarm has to be loud so we know to leave the building to stay safe.”

“When we see the bright lightening, there may be a big BOOM from thunder.”

Doing research together is another way to help a young child to better understand what is happening and what to expect. Get books about thunder from the library, watch videos about storms on YouTube, watch rain showers from the window. Do make sure any materials you get are developmentally appropriate for your child.

BE UNDERSTANDING

Let your child know it is okay to be scared and that you are there to keep them safe. You may have a child who was never fearful of loud sounds and suddenly he is terrified at the first clap of thunder and flash of lightening. Be understanding of your children’s fears and take them seriously. It may seem silly or nothing to worry about to you, but, to the child, it is a real and scary thing. Ask a child what they need from you to help calm them.

Every child deals with unexpected events in their own way. It is important to know and respecting a child’s feelings while teaching them appropriate ways they can cope.

You have a new baby starting and Mom hands you a bottle. She says “Charlie eats three ounces every two hours. Here is his milk. He is breastfed.” You freak out. “I’ve never had a breastfed baby before. This cannot be enough milk. What am I supposed to do with this?!” All these things start racing through your mind.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BREASTFED AND FORMULA-FED BABIES

Yes…breastfed and formula fed infants eat differently, and that can be overwhelming when you aren’t sure what to expect. And yes, three ounces is enough! Unlike formula-fed babies, breastfed babies eat based on calories, not volume of milk. They also typically each much more often than formula-fed babies. You can expect a breastfed baby to each between 2.5 ounces to 5 ounces every 1.5 to 3 hours. On the other hand, a formula fed baby is likely eating 6 to 8 ounces of milk every four to five hours. That’s a huge difference when you compare them!

And what do you do with the breast milk, you may ask!? The same thing you do with formula – handle it as a food. Breast milk can be stored in the same refrigerator as formula and can be stored both fresh or frozen. It can be heated in the same warmer or under running warm water, and you don’t need gloves to handle it. See…it is easier than you thought!

SUPPORTING BREASTFEEDING MOMS

And lastly – Mom may need your support. Tell her she is doing a great job providing breast milk for her baby. Offer her a place within the classroom where she can nurse at drop off, pick up, and on her break if she chooses to. Know what resources are available for her in your community, like local support groups or the contact information of an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), in case she has any bumps along her breastfeeding journey.

Life can be stressful! The life of an early childhood teacher can be even more stressful. We are in a profession of caregivers, so it is easy to forget to take care of ourselves. I know how hard and stressful your job can be – I was a preschool teacher for 7 years in a 4/5 Pre-K classroom.

When I was in the classroom, something that really helped me was meditation. I would meditate when I got home from work. There are tons of guided meditations on YouTube you should check out. I know it may seem silly the first few times, but I found that it seriously worked for me. Yoga is great for relaxation too.

If you take care of yourself, you can be the best version of “you” for the children in your care.

HOW CAN YOU BE A STRESS SURVIVOR?

Prioritize and know your limits – You can’t do everything, and that is okay. Figure out what is important, and go from there.

Take a deep breath – You will be amazed what taking a few seconds to take a few deep breaths will do for you!

Take time for yourself – Write, read, meditate, or listen to music. Figure out what works for you and make time for it.

Ask for help –You can’t do everything, and no one expects you to. Ask for help when you need help!

Learn more about the children in your care and their needs – The more you know and understand them the better.

Spend time with adults – You spend your whole day with young children; make sure you are spending time with adults as well!

Remember: it is okay to take time for you! Self-care is NOT selfish.

COMMIT TO MAKE A CHANGE

Try this: take a few minutes and think about ONE thing you can change over the next month to help decrease the amount of stress you experience. Write it down on a piece of paper and revisit the paper a month from now.

At the end of the day, the children in your care deserve your absolute best “you”.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

I’m teaching a number of classes over the coming weeks on this topic. I would love to see you in person for one or more of these FREE trainings! Each of these trainings also offer 2.25 hours of CDA06 credit hours.

I am one of the millions of Americans diagnosed with a mental health condition. In fact, one in five of us are!1 Mental health problems are actually more common than heart disease, lung disease, and cancer combined.2 Anxiety disorder is something that causes me to worry a bit too much. At times, I can be restless and wound-up. Other times, I can be easily fatigued and have trouble concentrating. On top of this, I’m a single mother raising a teenage son dealing with depression and anxiety. It’s easy to see why mental health awareness is a topic close to my heart.

Of course, early childhood topics are also an area close to my heart. I wake up each day, wondering how my work in the early childhood field impacts children. I am always looking for ways to grow my knowledge on all things early childhood. As our nation seeks to increase awareness about the importance of children’s mental health, I began to look at my own repertoire on the topic and find ways to increase my skill set on this important topic. Here’s what I found that may help you as a caregiver of young children.

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE CHILDREN IN YOUR CARE

For our youngest children, we define mental health more along the lines of social and emotional development and wellness. Ask yourself these questions about the children in your care. Are they:

Forming close and secure relationships with adults and peers?

Able to experience, express, and manage a full range of emotions and feelings?

Able to explore the environment around them and learn?

We know early experiences matter. Furthermore, they have a large impact on later mental and physical health. They also affect educational success, employment, and social well-being.

ASK YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR CURRENT APPROACH

It’s always good to evaluate your own practices. Take a look what you’re currently doing in your own program.

What are you doing to build and strengthen life skills in young children?

How are you promoting confidence in young children?

Are there opportunities for problem-solving and conflict resolution?

In what ways are you fostering empathy and compassion?

LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO PROMOTE CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH

This February, I became a Youth Mental Health First Aider through a course offered by the Marion County Commission on Youth (MCCOY). Being endorsed as a Youth Mental Health First Aider has given me the tools to assist and support a child showing symptoms of a mental illness. Its tools can also help me with those children experiencing a mental health crisis until someone can reach professional help. Not only was this course beneficial to me as an early childhood expert, it has benefited me as a parent as well.

JOIN ONE OF OUR UPCOMING TRAININGS

As a result of what I learned, I plan to continue my research and create professional development opportunities for early childhood educators through Child Care Answers. Keep an eye out – our training department will continue to bring you innovative, research-based workshops. Join us to grow your repertoire on social emotional wellness and other great topics! Here are some great FREE options coming up in the next few weeks:

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Check out our blog to read tips and advice from our staff on creating a positive experience for our littlest learners in quality child care, preschool, or school-age programs. We’re eager to share our stories and expertise with you!

Crib and Mattress Safety: What to Look for at Child Care Facilities

We hope you enjoy this guest post from the experts at the Sleep Help Institute. If you have additional questions about safe sleeping practices, please contact our Infant/Toddler specialists. Child safety is always at the forefront of both the minds of parents and child care providers. When it comes to sleep safety, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) developed requirements to